Aiding Corruption through Governance Structures in sub-Saharan Africa

What Role for E-Government?

Abstract

In spite of the fact that sub-Saharan African countries have undergone political transitions and experience new form of governance, the region is still battling with socio–economic challenges. The persistent socio-economic problem is attributable to the governance styles of electoral democracies that are not guided by democratic values and principles of accountability. The perspective in this paper is that the emergence of democratic governments in this region occurred through lopsided process which impacts on their governance structures. Consequently, the institutionalization of liberal democracy has been omitted; the absence of which creates gaps between aspiration for and struggle by African people for democracy on the one hand, and the actual performance of democratic governments on the other hand. The paper identifies structural deficiencies in the current pattern of governance as the political missing link in the value chain between democracy and development in the region. The paper recommends e-governance; an administrative process that guarantees good governance through accountability and transparency, as the necessary connecting link and panacea to bridging the observable existing gaps.